Rare Stories
Stories, news and behind the scenes of Portuguese craft. What’s happening in the workshops, at the fairs and at Ra-Ro.

Corporate Christmas gifts: how to choose Portuguese handmade gifts for clients and teams
How to choose corporate Christmas gifts with Portuguese crafts, for clients or for your team: budget, food or objects, the story of who makes them and the time handmade work needs.
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Christmas gifts for someone who has everything: 12 handmade ideas from Portugal
Twelve handmade gifts from Portugal for people who already have everything, grouped by type of person and by the story of who makes them.
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Cork crafts: what is made from Portuguese cork, why it is sustainable and how to care for it
Cork is the bark of the cork oak, stripped by hand without felling the tree and only every nine years. What is made from it, why it is sustainable, how to care for cork pieces and Porfírio Mendes's...
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Supporting Portuguese artisans: how buying handmade crafts helps endangered trades
A craft only passes to the next generation if someone buys the pieces. Why so many trades are at risk, what changes when you buy from a named artisan and how to choose authentic crafts.
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How to decorate your home with Portuguese handicrafts without it looking like a souvenir shop
Decorating with Portuguese crafts works best with few pieces, well chosen and given room to breathe. Principles, ideas by room and mistakes to avoid.
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Portuguese gifts: authentic handmade gifts from Portugal and how to send them abroad
A genuine Portuguese gift has a known place, a named maker and a living technique. Ideas for every kind of person, what travels well and how to ship it abroad.
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Bunho: what it is, how it is woven and what is made from it
Bunho is a wetland plant harvested in summer and woven by hand. See what it is, how it is worked and what is made from it, from low stools to cushions.
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António Ramalho and the clay figures of Barcelos: five pieces by Rosa Ramalho's great-grandson
António Ramalho is a potter from Barcelos, great-grandson of Rosa Ramalho and son of Júlia Ramalho. Discover the story of the Barcelos clay figures and his five pieces at Ra-Ro.
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Portuguese handicrafts: a guide to traditional techniques by region and where to buy online
A guide to Portuguese handicrafts by region: black pottery and figurines from the Minho, Cobertor de Papa blankets and burel from the inland mountains, esparto, palm and copper from the Algarve, ba...
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Cantarinha dos Namorados: meaning, history and where to buy the lovers' jug from Guimarães
The Cantarinha dos Namorados is a certified red clay jug from Guimarães, decorated with raised flowers and mica. It was given to brides in the Minho, who used it to save for their wedding gold neck...
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One-of-a-kind, limited edition or rare piece: what's the difference?
A one-of-a-kind piece, a limited edition and a rare piece are not the same thing. I explain the difference with real pieces by Portuguese makers, and how to recognise genuine handmade work before y...
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Portuguese handmade Christmas gifts: a guide by price
Portuguese handmade Christmas gifts sorted by budget: up to €25, up to €60, up to €120 and over €150. Every piece with its maker, village and story.
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